PITTSVILLE – Every spring for the past 18 years, Lee Garrels has had to make deals with his fellow deputies at the Wood County Sheriff’s Department to get the necessary time off to be an assistant coach for the Pittsville baseball team.

A sergeant with the department, Garrels may have more time in the spring, but knows he will have to return the favor during deer hunting or holidays.

“My shift is 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., so I have to trade shifts with someone to make sure I’m covered for when I’m coaching,” Garrels said. “I know I have to pay those guys back who cover me, but I love baseball and coaching.”

For the 59-year-old, it’s all worth it. He loves the game, enjoys teaching players the sport, and he’s been part of three state tournament coaching staffs (2006, 2012, 2014). Pittsville takes on Lake Country Lutheran today at 8 a.m. in a Division 4 state semifinal at Fox Cities Stadium, site of the WIAA baseball tournament.

“My family and the sheriff’s department has always been supportive of me coaching, and the department encourages us to get involved in the community,” Garrels said. “It can be a struggle at times to do my job and have the time to coach and get to my daughter, Laney’s, events. She’s in seventh grade and involved in quite a few activities.”

Garrels and fellow assistant Dave Rademan, 61, have been coaching with Bill Urban for most of his tenure as head coach of the program. The two assistants graduated from Pittsville High School just a year apart — Garrels in 1972, Rademan in 1971 — and they are first cousins. Urban’s dad and Garrels’ mom are brother and sister.

“Lee and I grew up together, and he’s a few years older, so he’s like another brother to me,” Urban said. “I know both of them give up a lot to help us out, and I’m grateful. They have my back, they love the game and the kids love them.”

Rademan, who owns a general contracting company — Dave Rademan Building — is back on the staff after a seven-year hiatus. He coached with Urban and Garrels from 2001 to 2006, but had to step aside to run his business, which was becoming a challenge due to the time that coaching requires.

“Baseball season and building season are at the same time in the spring,” Rademan said. “I adjusted our schedule to start early and try to finish by 3 p.m. so I could get to the ball diamond, and I had a good crew that worked with me so I could coach.

“But after a few years, it became difficult to do both, so I had to stop coaching,” Rademan said. “It was taking a toll on my business financially, and I had to be around more.”

Rademan is back, in part because his business is stable and his son is going to take over the business in a few years. Also a nudge from Garrels helped.

“A few months ago Lee started talking about me coming back to help,” Rademan said. “My wife has always been supportive, and I missed (coaching) for the time I was away, so it seemed like a good time to come back.”

The two share the assistant’s salary, so they are clearly not coaching for the money. Both enjoy the camaraderie of baseball. They also like the fact that Urban handles things on the administrative end.

“Bill is good with all that and being a teacher. He’s around the school and the kids all the time,” Garrels said. “I like to come in and help where I’m needed on the baseball end.”

Added Rademan, “The actual coaching is what I enjoy. So many of the memories brought me back to coaching, and it’s great to see how the kids develop into adults and have their own lives.”

Mark Massoglia can be reached at 715-423-7200, ext. 6736. Follow him on Twitter @markmazzy.